Electrical translating apparatus



April 7, 1931- B. E. OHAGAN 1,799,636 a ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 20, 1923 l F g.1.

J0- II Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERNARD E. OHAGAN, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, 'ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS Application filed November 20, 1923. Serial No. 675,845.

' My invention relates to electrical translating aymaratus, and more particularly to electrical relays of the slow acting type.

I will describe two forms oi? app atus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic, showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is aview showing a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and also embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in both views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the appmiatus which here shown is a relay comprising a contact mechanism B and a motor device A for operating this mechanism. The motor device A comprises a solenoid or c]ectro-magnet 7 surrounding a liquid tight-vessel 8 (it suitable material such as This vessel contains a fluid 9 of considerable densit such as mercury. A plunger 11 of maouetisable material is arranged to enter ve cl 8 and tloat on the mercury 9. lVhen solenoid 7 is energized plunger 11 is caused to n'iove downward against the buoying action of the inercury. The parts are so proportioned that the clearance space 10 between plunger 11 and vessel 8 is comparatively small and it is therefore plain, that when plunger 1.1 is drawn downward by encrgiz'ation of magnet 7 the displaced mercury must flow through this restricted clearance space and tends therefore to retard'thc motion of the plunger. If this plunger is in its lower position and the magnet is de-energized, the plunger is buoyed upward to its original position but this motion is also retarded by the mercury flowing through the restricted clearance space.

The contact mechanism B comprises a contact bar 1 provided at 22 with pivots which are supported with considerable friction in suitable journals not shown in the drawing.

It is therefore clear that the bar 1 will remain in any position to which it is moved until it is positively moved to a difierent position.

This bar carries two contact fingers 14 and 13 separated from the bar by insulation members A and 13, respectively, which fingers are adapted to coact with certain fixed contact members as will be explained hereinafter. Out-standing from the bar 1 is a vertically disposed yoire 3 having an upper leg 4 and 2 lower leg 5 provided with adjustable screws ('3 and 6 respectively. The plunger .11 is provided with a plunger rod 12 the free end of which intermediate the legs of yoke 3 and is adapted at times to engage screws (3 or 6*.

When plunger 11 is in its upper position, as when magnet 7 is de-energized, plunger rod 12 engages screw 6 in leg 4, thus holding bar 1 in the position shown wherein contacts 1313 and 1414 are closed. If, now, magnet 7 becomes energized, plunger 11 will be drawn downward. Due to the mercury timing device however, a considerable interval of time will elapse before the plunger rod engages screw 6 During this interval of time no motion of bar 1 takes place and contacts 1et1land 13-13 remain closed. lVhen the plunger rod 12 engages screw 6*, rod 1 will be swung on its pivots in a counter clockwise direction into a position in which contacts 14--14E and 1313 are open and contact 1 .i14 is closed. If magnet 7 then becomes (lo-energized again, plunger 11, after a time interval, again swings bar 1 back to its original position and closes contacts 1313 and Pie-14. out that when plunger rod 12 is intermediate the screws 6 and 6 ,110 contact operation takes place.

The speed of the plunger 11 is determined by the clearance space lOand also by the amount of current supplied to the solenoid 7, as well as by the proportioning of the various parts of the apparatus. For a given speed of the plunger, the time interval between con tact operations may be varied by adjusting the screws 6 and 6. I

As shown in the drawing the magnet 7 is controlled by the contact mechanism B, the circuit for this magnet passing from a suitable source of energy such as a battery 15, through wire 16, contact 1313 wire 17, magnet 7, and wires 18 and 19 back to battery 15. As shown in the drawing this contact is closed and plunger 11 is in'its upper position.

It should be particularly pointed hen the plunger has moved downward into its lower position, contact 1315 will open, thus de-energizing the magnet, and the plunger will again rise'to its upper position, therebyclosing the circuit. It is therefore plain that the device operates continuously.

Relays constructed in accordance with my invention are particularly adapted for, though in no way limited to, use as flasher relays, that is, relays which alternately energize two current consuming devices. As

here shown, two current consuming devices such as electric lamps 28-and 29 are controlled by contact mechanismB as follows.

lVhen plunger 11 is in its upper position, a circuit is closed from battery 15, through wire 16, contact. finger 13, wire 20, contact 1414e, wire 21, lamp 29, and wires 22, 23 and 19 back to battery 15, thus lighting lamp 29. lVhen plunger 11 is in its lower position this circuit is broken and lamp 29 is extinguished but lamp 28 is lighted over a circuit which passes from batttery 15, through wire 16, contact finger 13, wire 20, contact 141 l wire 24, lamp 28, and wires 7 25, 23 and 19, back to battery .15. It is clear from the foregoing that as long as magnet 7 is intermittently operated lamps 28 and 29 are alternately energized.

Referring now to Fig. 2, contact 1313 of contact mechanism vB controls'an auxiliary relay 31, this relay being energized, when contact 13-7-15? is closed by a battery 30, The relay 31 comprises two armature contacts 32 and :33 which'control magnet 7 and lamps 28 and29 in the same manner as before.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodyingmy invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendcd claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: r

1. In combination, a vessel containing a fluid, a plunger arranged to float in said fluid, means for at times forcing said plunger downwardly in said fluid, and a contact mechanism operated by said plunger through mechanism separatefrom said fluid.

2. A relay comprising vessel containing a fluid, a plini-ger arranget to enter said vcssel with comparatively small clearance and to float on said fluid, means for at times moving said plunger downwardly into said vessel whereby the fluid is forced upward between the plunger and the-vessel, and contact mechanism operated by said plunger through mechanism separate from said fluid.

' v 3. A relay comprising a vessel containing a fluid, a plunger arranged to enter vsaid vessel andbuoyed to an upper position by said fluid, means forinoving said-plunger against the buoyancy of the fluid to a lower position, and a contact mechanism arranged to be operated mechanically by the plunger as the plunger moves into each such position.

4. A relay comprising a vessel containing a fluid, a plunger arranged to enter said vessel and buoyed to an upper position by said fluid, means for'moving said plunger against the buoyancy of the fluid to a lower position, and a contact mechanism mechanically operated by said plunger to perform one operation whenthe plunger is in the upper position and a different operation when the plunger is in the lower position.

5. A relay comprising a vessel containing a fluid, a plunger arranged to enter said vessel and buoyed to an upper position by said fluid, means for. moving said plunge-r against the buoyancy of the fluid to a lower position, and a contact mechanism mechanically operated by said plunger in said upper position and said lower position but not when the plunger is in anintermediate position, said mechanism being operated through means separate from said fluid.

6. A relay comprising a pivoted contact arm, a yoke on said arm having two spaced legs, a solenoid containing a vessel of mercury, a magnetizable plunger arranged to enter said vessel with small clearance and to float on said mercury but to be forced downwardly in said mercury when the solenoid is energized, and adjustable means on the legs of said yoke for engaging said plunger.

7. A relay comprising a contact operating member having two circuit controlling posi- 'tionsand mounted with suilicient friction to remain in whichever of said positions it may occupy, a plunger located in a liquid whereby it is biased to one position, and its movements are retarded, a solenoid for moving said plunger against its bia-sto another position, and a lost-motion connection between said plunger and said member whereby the member is moved to one circuit controlling position when the plunger completes a movement under the influence of said solenoid and BERNARD E. OHAGAN. 

